diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 10eca12e9b..d25bdc13ba 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ make bootstrap
 
 `make bootstrap` activates Flox as needed, installs the pinned Python and Node.js
 toolchains, synchronizes Python dependencies, installs pnpm workspace
-dependencies, and builds Studio assets. Run `flox activate` afterward when you
+dependencies, and builds Studio assets. Run `flox -q activate` afterward when you
 want to use `uv`, `node`, or `pnpm` directly. Flox supplies Node.js and Corepack
 installs the repository-pinned pnpm into the environment cache. Interactive
 activation installs the repository's pre-commit hook when needed; leave the
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ For complete Studio setup instructions, see the [Getting Started section in the
 1. **Flox**: Activate the repository environment, which provides the pinned Node.js and pnpm versions:
 
 ```bash
-flox activate
+flox -q activate
 ```
 
 #### Initialize the Repository
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ Then start the platform from the repository root:
 
 ```bash
 # From an activated Flox environment
-flox activate
+flox -q activate
 nemo services run
 
 # Or run everything with quickstart config (builds OPA policy first)
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ NMP_CONFIG_FILE_PATH=packages/nmp_platform/config/local.yaml \
 
 Visit `http://localhost:8080/studio/` to access the Studio UI.
 
-After the first interactive `flox activate`, pre-commit is installed
+After the first interactive `flox -q activate`, pre-commit is installed
 automatically. System-toolchain contributors can install it explicitly with
 `uv run pre-commit install`.
 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3d263f30f5..5874837ccf 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ NODE_VERSION := 22.23.2
 PNPM_VERSION := 10.34.5
 BOOTSTRAP_CREATE_VENV ?= 1
 BOOTSTRAP_EXPECTED_VIRTUAL_ENV := $(CURDIR)/.venv
-BOOTSTRAP_ACTIVATION_REMINDER = if [ "$(TOOLCHAIN)" = "flox" ] && [ "$${FLOX_ENV_PROJECT:-}" != "$(CURDIR)" ]; then echo ""; echo "Next steps:"; echo "  flox activate"; echo "  nemo --help"; elif [ "$(TOOLCHAIN)" = "system" ] && [ "$${VIRTUAL_ENV:-}" != "$(BOOTSTRAP_EXPECTED_VIRTUAL_ENV)" ]; then echo ""; echo "Next steps:"; echo "  source .venv/bin/activate"; echo "  nemo --help"; fi
+BOOTSTRAP_ACTIVATION_REMINDER = if [ "$(TOOLCHAIN)" = "flox" ] && [ "$${FLOX_ENV_PROJECT:-}" != "$(CURDIR)" ]; then echo ""; echo "Next steps:"; echo "  flox -q activate"; echo "  nemo --help"; elif [ "$(TOOLCHAIN)" = "system" ] && [ "$${VIRTUAL_ENV:-}" != "$(BOOTSTRAP_EXPECTED_VIRTUAL_ENV)" ]; then echo ""; echo "Next steps:"; echo "  source .venv/bin/activate"; echo "  nemo --help"; fi
 
 # Display platform info
 $(info local system architecture: $(PLATFORM)/$(ARCH))
@@ -223,11 +223,12 @@ bootstrap-python: verify-python-version verify-compiler ## Bootstrap Python depe
 
 TOOLCHAIN ?= flox
 FLOX ?= flox
+FLOX_QUIET ?= $(FLOX) -q
 ifeq ($(TOOLCHAIN),flox)
 ifeq ($(FLOX_ENV_PROJECT),$(CURDIR))
 FLOX_EXEC :=
 else
-FLOX_EXEC := $(FLOX) activate --dir "$(CURDIR)" --
+FLOX_EXEC := $(FLOX_QUIET) activate --dir "$(CURDIR)" --
 endif
 else ifeq ($(TOOLCHAIN),system)
 FLOX_EXEC :=
@@ -236,7 +237,8 @@ $(error TOOLCHAIN must be either flox or system)
 endif
 UV := $(FLOX_EXEC) uv
 ifeq ($(TOOLCHAIN),flox)
-PNPM := $(FLOX_EXEC) bash -c 'corepack "pnpm@$(PNPM_VERSION)" "$$@"' --
+FLOX_NODE_EXEC := $(FLOX_QUIET) activate --dir "$(CURDIR)/tools/nodejs" --
+PNPM := $(FLOX_NODE_EXEC) pnpm
 else
 PNPM := $(FLOX_EXEC) pnpm
 endif
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b2eebf0b68..178e11716a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -35,12 +35,12 @@ cd nemo-platform
 
 # Install Flox first: https://flox.dev/docs/install-flox/install
 make bootstrap
-flox activate
+flox -q activate
 
 nemo setup
 ```
 
-`make bootstrap` uses the Flox-pinned uv, Node.js, and pnpm toolchain; it does not require a prior `flox activate`. Activate Flox after bootstrap to continue development in the managed environment. Without Flox, install the versions printed by `make toolchain-versions` and a C compiler, then run `make TOOLCHAIN=system bootstrap` followed by `source .venv/bin/activate`. See [SETUP.md](SETUP.md#toolchain-uv-nodejs-pnpm).
+`make bootstrap` uses the Flox-pinned uv, Node.js, and pnpm toolchain; it does not require a prior `flox -q activate`. Activate Flox after bootstrap to continue development in the managed environment. Without Flox, install the versions printed by `make toolchain-versions` and a C compiler, then run `make TOOLCHAIN=system bootstrap` followed by `source .venv/bin/activate`. See [SETUP.md](SETUP.md#toolchain-uv-nodejs-pnpm).
 
 `nemo setup` starts local services, registers your LLM provider, discovers available models, selects default and fast agent models, installs agent skills, and deploys a sample agent (see more below).
 
diff --git a/SETUP.md b/SETUP.md
index 3c1e6d7a5d..3bb02e8b3a 100644
--- a/SETUP.md
+++ b/SETUP.md
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ Before running `make bootstrap`, install Flox from the [Flox installation guide]
 
 ```bash
 make bootstrap           # installs Python deps, Studio assets, and plugins (including demo calculator agent)
-flox activate            # enter the managed development environment
+flox -q activate         # enter the managed development environment
 nemo setup               # interactive: prompts for provider, picks default/fast models, optionally deploys calculator-agent
 ```
 
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ make: *** [test-unit] Error 127
 That covers the `make` targets only. To run `uv` or `pnpm` directly, activate Flox first:
 
 ```bash
-flox activate
+flox -q activate
 ```
 
 Without Flox, install the versions printed by `make toolchain-versions` and a C compiler, then run `make TOOLCHAIN=system bootstrap`. Docker is required when starting local services, but not for dependency bootstrap.
diff --git a/docs/get-started/setup.mdx b/docs/get-started/setup.mdx
index f47e018a9b..07b6522d4e 100644
--- a/docs/get-started/setup.mdx
+++ b/docs/get-started/setup.mdx
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Install [Flox](https://flox.dev/docs/install-flox/install) before running `make
 git clone https://github.com/NVIDIA-NeMo/nemo-platform.git
 cd nemo-platform
 make bootstrap
-flox activate
+flox -q activate
 ```
 
 The `make bootstrap` target creates the Python environment, syncs Python dependencies, builds Studio assets, and installs local plugins. Activate Flox afterward to continue development with the managed toolchain.
diff --git a/web/AGENTS.md b/web/AGENTS.md
index b3f14b1a53..9881d8e8b2 100644
--- a/web/AGENTS.md
+++ b/web/AGENTS.md
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ The `kaizen-ui` skill is not committed — it is synced from the `@nvidia/founda
 
 - Use **pnpm** exclusively — never npm or yarn
 - Run frontend commands from `web/`, not from repo root
-- Node.js and pnpm come from the root Flox environment. Run `flox activate` for interactive work; Corepack provides the repository-pinned pnpm.
+- Node.js and pnpm come from the root Flox environment. Run `flox -q activate` for interactive work; Corepack provides the repository-pinned pnpm.
 - Install dependencies: `pnpm add <package>`
 - Run scripts: `pnpm <script-name>`
 
diff --git a/web/README.md b/web/README.md
index cf17bf2bb0..ebbbc97e0e 100644
--- a/web/README.md
+++ b/web/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ NeMo Studio is a UI built on the NeMo Platform, which is aimed at improving agen
 1. For first setup, install Flox from the repository root and run `make bootstrap-studio`; it provides the pinned Node.js and pnpm versions without requiring global installation. For interactive web work, activate Flox:
 
    ```bash
-   flox activate      # from the repository root
+   flox -q activate   # from the repository root
    ```
 
    Or install the Node.js and pnpm versions printed by `make toolchain-versions`, then use `TOOLCHAIN=system make bootstrap-studio` from the repository root.